Chapter 44: Lord Water (3)

Warning: violence content including woman abuse that may be upsetting for some readers.

***

The next morning, Xiu Zhen made an announcement for the whole villagers that the volcano had found its peace. Xiu Zhen asked the people to brought the victim of yhe eruption to be treated in her shrine. Obviously they did what she ordered them to.

Some had burnt scars due to the hot lava. Some had breathing problems due to the volcanic ash that spreaded in the air. Some lost their limbs or broke their bones due to the strong earthquake. Xiu Zhen gave each of them the magical pills, and yes, they were all cured in an instant, even more the lost limbs were grown back to their original shape. Miraculously, none of the villagers or her disciples noticed Fang Fang's absence. They didn't even remember who she was when Xiu Zhen spitted her name out from her mouth.

The villagers were so happy, finally they had their liberty. They held a celebration fete for a whole week, and glorified Xiu Zhen as the heroine. Those who made a fuss in her shrine before turned drastically and began to bow at her. The title God's Representative was bestowed upon her name once more. Those foolish villagers believed Xiu Zhen was no human but a goddess the heaven sent for them.

This addicting euphoria whenever the people called her 'Goddess' made Xiu Zhen forgot who she really was. The villagers threw her up to the sky and she forgot how to came down. She began to desire more. Her narcissistic and arrogancy led her to controlled the villagers to worship her instead of the moon goddess. She controlled the people to hang her paintings on the walls of every family's house, and burnt incenses for her. Some people even gave her some offerings and goods, in hope Xiu Zhen would gave them blessings of fortune.

Xiu Zhen ignored the message Asura King asked her to spread before they separated. She thought it was nothing to worry about because the volcano would be active in the next 500 years. Such impudence, she forgot the generosity the Asura King showed her.

The magical pills started to run out. The Asura King was actually gave her enough, but Xiu Zhen misapplied the purpose of this pills. She opened a paid treatment inside her shrine in order to gain money and popularity. The people believed her hands could cure every illness and injury, but the truth it wasn't her own power. She was just a weakling with no magical power.

'No, this can't be! I need more!', that was what she thought when she rummaged inside the small yellow cloth bag. 'If I don't have anymore pills, they will lose their respect on me!', Her unstable mental led her into greediness once more. She made a plan to ask for more pills, but to whom? It was impossible for her to meet the asura once again, since her village was already peaceful. Ah... She finally remembered that she had a secret partner. A preta that she actually never love since the beginning. He wasn't a lover but only partner in bed, nor a true friend but only partner in crime.

She came back to the cave and summoned that preta soldier. A young handsome man in full armor appeared after she called his name. He came with full of vigor and smile, he said he is happy of her successfulness. But Xiu Zhen who had only one goal meeting this man directly asked him for those magical pills.

Unfortunately, the preta soldier didn't have such thing. Xiu Zhen asked whether he could made her one or not, but the preta shooked his head. The preta soldier told her that those magical medicine were only produced by the asura who mastered white magic. Xiu Zhen immediately fell into disappointment. The preta who noticed this very feeling of hers tried to comfort her.

Xiu Zhen's opinion about her secret partner changed. 'Worthless, fool, and weak. He is nothing more but a vulgar preta who wanted my heart. Does he think his uselessness could win over me?'. Then, she had another idea. To dispose her doll now was too soon, he at least still had one advantage for her, and it was to be an errand boy between her and the Asura King. Yes, she wanted to meet him again.

'The one who could win over me had to be stronger than the Asura King, or else, it will be his victory.', That was what she thought. Her narcism grew worse than before. Since her mission to gain this man's attention had done long ago, she crawled to the hardest level, and it was to gain the Asura King's affection.

Remembering his face, she thought he is the perfect candidate to be the man who stood beside her. Young, handsome, tall, and the strongest among his kind, he is a god-like creature who was able to silence the volcano's rage and hid her sins away from the gods. To have his affection, what kind of greatest advantages she could take from him? It would be beyond imagination! Even more, she could make this whole world and its creations bow before her. Her greediness drove her crazy.

Still, Xiu Zhen had to hold her puppet tight on her embrace, so she seduced the innocent preta soldier once more. Every night she stayed at his place in the demon realm until his house became hers too, like a couple or husband and wife. She who was chaste now accustomed to do the filthy deeds with no hesitation. But that preta, eventhough he was blind for her, he wasn't completely fool. He knew she wanted something from him that she never spoke in this 3 months of dirty relationship.

"Miss, may I know why you keep coming to my house? This world is not for humans to live in the first place. Are you not afraid?", He stroked her long flowing hair.

"That is because I love you, Captain Jiang. I couldn't breathe freely without you in my side.", Xiu Zhen embraced him.

She could feel the coldness of this unalive creature from his bare skin that sticked to hers with no distance. That man covered Xiu Zhen bare shoulders under the thick white blanket, in hope it could warmth her.

"Miss, does something bother you? Is there anything I could do for you?"

Xiu Zhen raised her head from his chest and stared at his eyes.

"You are indeed heedful. This is why I can't get you out from my mind just for a second."

That man knew those words were just pretty lies. He knew so well that she never been in love with him but to make a use from him.

"Do share me your burden, miss.", He caressed her white cheek softly.

"To tell you the truth... I need to meet your king once more. Do you think you could make it possible for me?"

That man instantly raised his bare well-built body, exposing some scars on his pale skin.

"Miss... Weren't your matters already solved? Why should you meet him again?"

Xiu Zhen took a short pause. She sat beside him while her hands secured the blanket from falling off her exposed chest.

"The people need treatment, Captain. We, as mortal beings, are very fragile. One illness could make someone deceased, while the elixirs His Highness gave me were trully miraculous. I need them for the sake of my people.", Somehow, she looked sad.

That man noticed her sadness and felt pity on her.

"Very well, miss, I will try my best."

He pressed her head to be laid on his bare shoulder. He embraced her, stroked her hair gently, to show her how pure his love for her was. But Xiu Zhen smirked evilly while staring at the burning candle that placed on the wooden table next to his bed. Whatever he did to her had never moved her heart, not even a bit.

The hunt began. To meet the king Xiu Zhen needed to collect proper offerings. Their role weren't change, Xiu Zhen served as a prey finder, while the man she called Captain Jiang served as the executioner and courier. Yet when Captain Jiang brought what they've collected, the Asura King was unpleased.

"What is the meaning of this, Captain?", He sat on his throne.

"The priestess sent you a gift, Your Excellency. She wanted to thank you for your kindness. Please, take this a token of gratitude.", He raised a silver tray with a man's head on the top of it.

"Captain, I didn't know you have a hobby of fooling around with the humans. How long do you plan to obey her words?"

'Gulp!', Captain Jiang sweated in nervous. He couldn't let his king knew he made a contract with her so he couldn't run away from her orders. To make contract with someone is the same as sharing souls to each other, it can't be betrayed or the offender will meet the doom. This action was actually forbid by the Asura King because it only brought disadvantages, while the demons had a bigger matter to faced, and it was the war with the gods.

"Very well. Hand it over to the servants."

"Understood, Your Excellency.", He bowed.

"Captain, I warn you, stop this foolishness. She is a priestess, she served the gods and not us. What do you think the gods will do to her if they know one of their servant betrays them? She still has the chance to walk back to the right path so leave her be."

Captain Jiang couldn't reply anything but bowed down his head.

"Tell her not to be overconfident just because I hide her past. My spell will be broke if she keep doing this."

"Understood, Your Excellency."

"Now I'm expecting General Yin, you may leave."

Captain Jiang walked out from the opened huge door. He bumped into Yin Ling who walked in to the throne room. He greeted him and went away.

"Yin Ling. That witch still sending me those mutilated corpses. She must have wanting something from me."

"Again? How pathetic. What does she want now?"

"I don't know."

"And why does that stupid man keep obeying her anyway?? Can't you stop him??"

That man sighed a long breath, "He has made a contract with her, and the worst part is the contract was one-sided. I couldn't meddling in their lovey-dovey relationship."

"Shit. Should we kill her? If she's dead, the contract will be canceled, right?"

"That's true. After all, the contract didn't give any loss to that witch."

He rested his chin and smiled, "But isn't it too easy for her? She committed too much crime. She has to learn something before her death."

"Then what you gonna do? Leaving her like that?"

"Hmm. I will not interfere, but I will not grant her wish. Fair enough, isn't it? Let's see how long she will persistly present me those garbages."

Two years had passed. No sign from the Asura King to meet her. Xiu Zhen was at the edge of her sanity. Her mind couldn't think straight anymore. In this past two years, she and her puppet had murdered at least 80 people. Just for that miracle pills, she bravely stained her own hands with no regret.

Captain Jiang finally had enough of her ruthless orders. He was worried about her future, so he kept lecturing her, telling her to stop. There was a day he was on his knees for her to back to the right path, but Xiu Zhen turned her ears deaf towards his words. Even the demon himself took pity on their innocent victims.

"Please, miss, stop this madness! His Majesty already said he can't give those medicine for free! If there is no danger, there is no reason for him to give you more!"

"Since when you became so selfish, Captain!? Ah I see... So, you actually never love me, aren't you? You were just toying with me and only desire my body, weren't you? I see... I was foolish to ever believe in you."

"That's not true, miss!"

It was always like that. Whenever Captain Jiang tried to stop her, Xiu Zhen will pointed her finger on him instead.

Captain Jiang who was blindly in love with her also lost his path, he became extremely confused. Everyday he missed his duties as the captain of a thousand preta, he never trained his underlings since he had to protect Xiu Zhen who persistly stayed at his house in whole two years. He had to stay with her to hid her human scent. He couldn't let anyone in the demon world realized her presence, or else she will be eaten away. While in the noon, he and his lover had to roam in the human world to murdered more people.

He became frustrated. Whenever he tried to remind her calmly, it will be ended in words battle. Yet he couldn't disobey her order, his neck was tied by the contract. Xiu Zhen herself, who learnt about how dangerous the contract for the demon, oftenly threatened to 'kill' him.

One day, Captain Jiang kneeled on his king. He didn't ask for the miraculous medicine but something else. The Asura King agreed to give what he asked so he granted Captain Jiang's wish. After he got what he wanted, Captain Jiang came to the human world to pick up Xiu Zhen. They both traveled to his house. Captain Jiang invited her to drink together and Xiu Zhen agreed since she said her mood wasn't good. Xiu Zhen gulped the alcohol until she lost her consciousness, but in the next day, Xiu Zhen woke up at her bedroom in the shrine, not in his house. She saw Captain Jiang sat beside her.

"Are you awake, miss?"

"Why are we here?", Her head felt heavy and dizzy.

"Miss, today is the 15th of the 3rd month.", He smiled widely.

"Ah... Why do you always remember that?"

"It's a special day, of course I do remember. This is a present from me. Please keep it, miss."

He pulled her palm and put something on it.

"What is this?"

"This is the Compass of Truth, Miss."

"Compass of Truth?"

The Compass of Truth was one of the Asura King's magical device. It only showed two directions, north and south. But these north and south weren't the real north and south, they represented True and False, Yes or No, depended on the question. North as True or Yes, and South as False or No.

"Tell the compass your questions and the compass will be pointed on one of those directions. Where the needle ended was the true answer, may its answers will guide you to the correct paths, miss."

"What...?"

"Why don't we try one?", He lowered his face above the compass.

"O Compass of Truth, pray tell, was what the priestess did correct?"

Xiu Zhen widened her eyes. She couldn't believe in him.

The needle pointed on the south. Of course both of them knew the meaning of that. After all, what Xiu Zhen did to her own kind was far from right, there was no need to ask the compass.

Feeling terribly insulted, Xiu Zhen slapped his face. She couldn't yell because they weren't at his house.

"Do you like to see my anger that much, Captain?"

"I'm doing this for your own sake, miss. Please, even the compass knows what we did is wrong. So just let us stop, hmm? No one will die today, we don't need to lay our hands to anyone anymore."

"Hahahaha.", She chuckled cynically.

Xiu Zhen who was dizzy pushed her mind to be cleared. Then she remembered about the contract.

"Then, disappear."

Captain Jiang froze like a statue.

"Disappear before my eyes, Captain."

"A-Are you sure, miss??"

"I have no need with those who opposes me, so I am done with you. I have had enough to see your face."

Captain Jiang was speechless.

"So please, disappear.... Disappear!!!!!!", She yelled.

Her last order was made.

"If that's what you want, very well. Last thing before I go, I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for filling my loneliness and sharing your affection to me."

He raised from his chair and kissed her forehead, "Happy born day, Li Hua, I love you."

Just in one blink he had vanished from her view, gone with the wind. Xiu Zhen started to feel anxious. She kept calling his name, searching him in every corner of her room like a fool, while her palm secured that compass tightly. She came down from her room to the main hall of her shrine, readily to go to the cave.

Her disciple stared at her like they were staring at a maniac. How come? She was just running around in a thin nightgown, producing strong scent of alcohol, and her hair was still messy. They also heard her scream not long ago from her room, eventhough she was 'alone'.

In this past two years too, her disciples began to uncomfortable living near their half insane teacher. Xiu Zhen was behaving more suspicious each day. Not only her disciples, the villagers were also losing their respect on her. Xiu Zhen couldn't heal injury or grew limbs anymore, and she never involved herself on social activities again, not like before. They noticed she had lost her sanity, but they kept their mouth sealed since she was their savior.

Three days later, Xiu Zhen fell ill. She was fainted at gate of her shrine after staying inside the cold cave alone. But eventhough she lost her consciousness for a while, she was still aware what happened surrounding her.

She could feel her arms and legs were being tied on her divan, while her mouth was forced to bite a bamboo stick. All of the sudden, she felt a nightmare pain on her stomach until her eyes covered in tears. She opened her eyes slowly, and tried to see what was actually happening.

When she took a peek, she was surrounded by her disciples. Because her eyes were blurry, she couldn't see their faces, but the thing she was sure was her disciples cut her stomach open. Her stomach flooded by blood as the opened her flesh. She wanted to scream, but she didn't have the energy to do so. One movenent even just a finger made her pain grew worse. The last thing she saw before she lost her consciousness again was one of her disciple took a chunk of flesh inside her opened stomach. Then, she fainted when her disciples sewed her stomach.

In the next morning, Xiu Zhen finally awake. One of her disciple sat next to her and held her hand. She was worried, but Xiu Zhen who remembered what they did to her clearly immediately slapped that disciple until she was in nosebleed. Xiu Zhen was so angry and feel betrayed. Obviously everyone will feel the same way as Xiu Zhen. Her flesh being stolen away when she was unconscious.

Maybe, her disciples thought that her flesh also could heal any injury. It was Xiu Zhen's fault to begin with after spreading lies to everyone that her hands could heal everything she touches. Still, Xiu Zhen as their teacher, tried so hard not to lay her hand anymore to them. At least she still had a soft spot in heart for her disciples that mostly women.

Even when she had lost her sanity, her ambition to meet the Asura King was still remain unshakable. She roamed in the village everynight to kill every weak people she saw, and placed them inside the cave. She thought that she could do anything even without Captain Jiang. She had plan to collect as much as she could and brought them to the demon realm all by her own.

Though indeed Xiu Zhen was a killer, she was not professional at murdering people, different with Captain Jiang who was built to be her executioner. She did her job clumsy until finally she was caught up by the villagers.

She was being stripped naked and tied up on a tree. Her disciples were all already slained by the wrath of the villagers. The last nightmare agony she had to bear before her final breath was the feeling of her skin being taken away. One by one, the villagers peeled her skin off, and most of the prepetator were the families of Xiu Zhen's victims. She couldn't cry anymore since her tears were already dried out by the pain. Her body felt cold, too cold like an ice because she lost too much blood. But the villagers enjoyed her eeire scream she produced everytime their sharp knife slicing her skin.

At the final moment before she closed her eyes, she remembered every important moment in her life. She remembered her first victims, that father and his son. His son was being skinned alive, just like what she experienced right now. Then, she remembered Fang Fang's death. She remembered how Fang Fang fell on the floor with a knife planted on her chest. Then she remembered the Asura King and his words. 'Someday, you will have to pay your debt.', That was what he said. Then, she remembered every of her victim's faces. Men and women, children and adults, young and old, everyone. Then, she remember all the ruthless methods she did to slain all of her victims. And the last thing she remembered was Captain Jiang.

A preta that took a human appearance. He was young and handsome. He was tall and strong. His eyes were absolute black, but they were emitting warmth and affection. His face represented how kind his heart was. Xiu Zhen began to long for the purity of his love. He loved her unconditionally, regardless how evil she was, yet Xiu Zhen pushed him away until his last moment she had never ever gave her heart to him. But now, everything changed.

She finally understood that the man named Jiang Wen was the one she needed the most, not the Asura King. She finally realized that Jiang Wen didn't betrayed her, but he tried to guide her back to her original path as a priestess. She finally realized actually those sacrificials of her own kind were never needed, beside, the villagers never asked her too much. It was her who was hallucinated to be a goddess until she did whatever it took to get those miraculous pills back. She should've declined the villagers requests if it was beyond her capability. She should've told the people to give the volcano offerings, so their village wouldn't be demolished by its wrath.

Regret always comes the last. In the end, she achieved nothing but failure. Even the demons ashamed of her ruthlessness, and the gods laughed at her fate. A fallen priestess, a serial killer, a traitor, a cunning person, a disgrace in the history of monks. But there was always only one man that open his embrace just for her, and it was Jiang Wen. She smiled, and closed her eyes. Finally, her chest had stop breathing, along with the disappearance of her agony, selfishness, and insatiability.